Using Tenses in English: Past, Present, Future

by Manik Joshi

This Book Covers The Following What are “Tenses”?AGREEMENT between SUBJECT and VERBTWENTY-FOUR Auxiliary VerbsREGULAR AND IRREGULAR VERBSPRESENT TENSEPresent Indefinite TensePresent Continuous/Progressive TensePresent Perfect TensePresent Perfect Continuous/Progressive TensePAST TENSEPast Indefinite TensePast Continuous/Progressive TensePast Perfect TensePast Perfect Continuous/Progressive TenseFUTURE TENSEFuture Indefinite TenseFuture Continuous/Progressive TenseFuture Perfect TenseFuture Perfect Continuous/Progressive TenseUseful NotesExercisesSample could be defined as “any of the form of a verb that may be used to show the time of the action or an event or state expressed by the verb”.THERE ARE THREE KINDS OF Past Tense – The form of a verb that usually expresses an action that happened in the past[Action happened before present]The Present Tense – The form of a verb that usually expresses an action that happens at this time[Action happens in present]The Future Tense – The form of a verb that usually expresses an action that will happen in future[Action will happen after present]EACH OF THESE THREE KINDS OF SENTENCES HAS FOUR TYPES OF or Simple FormContinuous or Progressive FormPerfect FormPerfect Continuous or Perfect Progressive FormEACH OF THESE FOUR TYPES OF FORMS HAS FOUR KINDS OF Statement --Used to Show ‘Agreement’Negative Statement --Used to Show ‘Disagreement’Interrogative Statement --Used to Ask ‘Question’Interrogative-Negative Statement --Used to Ask ‘Question’ and Show ‘Disagreement’Present Indefinite TenseExpresses –Permanent situation [in the past, present and future] Our family lives in Seattle.General truth (fact or statement) Clean water is fundamental to public Many barrages have no utility and cause floods.Habitual action [actions that occur regularly] She listens to music every day.‘Future meaning’ (timetable, planned event, etc.) My shop closes at 9 The train arrives at 7:30 pm.Traditions, rituals, Indians celebrate the festival of light in the month of Oct-Nov.Commands and Instructions [Imperative Sentences][ In imperatives, subject ‘you’ remains hidden] Condemn perpetrators of Promote values of humanity and Tell us about the exact nature of your work.Used in if-clause of present and future real conditional If I go there, I meet If things don't work out, we won't be panicked.Headlines in news reporting [Use of simple present tense instead of the simple past tense is common in news headlines] Flight skids on landing at the airport.

102 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2013